Melanie Carpenter Memorial

A collaborative sculpting project in the Fraser Canyon

Background

The Melanie Carpenter Foundation was formed in 1995 after 20 year old Melanie Carpenter was abducted in Surrey BC. and later found murdered on Native land in the Fraser canyon.

The Foundation approached the Sculpting Department of Capilano College in Vancouver BC. for the purpose of creating a memorial at the site of the crime. Bruce Watson, resident artist at the time, was approached to head the project.

He formed a team of three artists and two assistants:

Bruce Watson: Design concept and liaison to the foundation and the local Native band
Tammy Peters: Design
Reto Marti: Carving technician and design consulting
Susann Lauzon: Assistant
Wendy Shaw: Assistant

Tamy Peters puts finishing touches on to the salmon's fins

Gross reduction with point chisel and hammer directly into basalt cliff

Establishing shape and form with pneumatic tools after gross reduction

The layout needed to address a number of issues directly related to the victim and the native site, which is considered sacred. According to local Native legend, the spirits of their ancestors travel at night from the Fraser river over a path they have used as fishermen for thousands of years. It is the same path on which Melanie was found dead.

Native belief says that these spirits were angered by this act of violence and that the victim's soul needed to be protected from them. The Natives consider the Eagle as their guardian spirit. It was decided to depict the raptor to serve as Melanie's as well.

The depiction of the salmon pays tribute to the fish as a food source which has sustained this tribe for thousands of years and is the sole reason for the existence of this location.

A staircase with seven steps was built, each stair with a letter carved into the tread, reading the name of the girl from the ground up. This structure leads to and away from the site. Visitors encounter the stairs first. Noticing the letters is the first indication of the memorial. It represents Melanie's pathway to eternity and peace.

Logistics

• All supporting hardware and equipment was donated by local businesses
• It required six days of full time work by the three artists and the part time involvement of the two assistants to complete this memorial